Background
Gambia faces an escalating challenge of food insecurity driven by the combined pressures of climate change and significant post-harvest losses across key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, and livestock. Climate variability has intensified through rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and increased flooding, leading to declining crop yields, soil salinization in coastal rice fields, and damage to agricultural infrastructure. At the same time, inadequate cooling and storage infrastructure, particularly in rural areas with limited access to reliable electricity, has resulted in post-harvest losses reaching up to 40% for perishable goods. This situation undermines rural livelihoods, reduces food availability, and weakens the resilience of national food systems. Given that agriculture contributes between 20–30% of Gambia’s GDP and employs over 70% of the workforce, these challenges have wide-reaching economic and social implications. There is, therefore, an urgent need for sustainable, affordable, and energy-efficient cooling technologies to preserve perishable produce, reduce food waste, and strengthen climate resilience across the country’s agri-food value chains.
CTCN Support
CTCN is supporting this Technical Assistance to enhance Gambia’s capacity to address the growing impacts of climate change on food security through the deployment of sustainable cooling solutions. Building on national priorities outlined in Gambia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and climate adaptation strategies, the CTCN’s support focuses on providing technical expertise, knowledge transfer, and capacity building to promote the adoption of phase change material (PCM)-based solar-powered cooling systems. This TA will facilitate the assessment, design, and pilot deployment of these innovative technologies in key agricultural, fisheries, and poultry value chains. Furthermore, the CTCN will support the development of enabling frameworks, capacity-building initiatives, and partnerships that empower local institutions, entrepreneurs, and communities, particularly women, to operate and maintain these systems sustainably. Through this support, the TA aims to strengthen national resilience to climate-induced challenges, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance food preservation and income security for vulnerable rural populations.
Expected Outcome
The expected outcome of this Technical Assistance project is the deployment and sustained use of affordable, solar-powered PCM-based cooling systems that significantly reduce post-harvest losses and enhance food system resilience in Gambia. This TA will help minimize food spoilage, improve market access, and increase incomes for farmers, fishers, and small-scale entrepreneurs. The introduction of renewable energy-based cooling solutions will also reduce dependence on costly and unreliable grid electricity, promoting low-carbon development in rural areas. In parallel, targeted capacity building activities and gender-responsive training programs will strengthen local technical expertise and promote equitable access to climate-resilient technologies. Ultimately, this TA will contribute to improved food security, enhanced rural livelihoods, especially for women, and the advancement of The Gambia’s transition toward a sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural economy.
Seeking Experts
The CTCN invites qualified experts and firms to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI) to participate in this initiative. For further information on this opportunity, visit the UN Global Market Place (UNGM) or the UN website.
If you are not yet a member of the CTCN Network, you can apply to join here.
